Shimmer

An old friend

They followed the River Phlegethon, stumbling over the glassy black terrain, jumping crevices, and hiding behind rocks whenever the vampire girls slowed in front of them.

It was tricky to stay far enough back to avoid getting spotted but close enough to keep Kelli and her comrades in view through the dark hazy air. The heat from the river baked their skin. Every breath was like inhaling sulfur- scented fiberglass. When they needed a drink, the best they could do was sip some refreshing liquid fire.

Time was impossible to judge. They trudged along, following the river as it cut through the harsh landscape. Fortunately the empousai weren’t exactly speed walkers. They shuffled on their mismatched bronze and donkey legs, hissing and fighting with each other, apparently in no hurry to reach the Doors of Death.

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They started walking, trying to avoid the cave entrances, sticking close to the bank of the river.

They were just skirting one of the spires when a glint of movement caught Percy’s eye — something darting between the rocks to their right.

A monster following them? Or maybe it was just some random baddie, heading for the Doors of Death.

Suddenly he remembered why they’d started following this route, and he froze in his tracks.

“The empousai .” He grabbed Annabeth’ s arm. “Where are they?”

Annabeth scanned a three- sixty, her gray eyes bright with alarm.

Maybe the demon ladies had been snapped up by that reptile in the cave. If the empousai were still ahead of them, they should’ve been visible somewhere on the plains.

Unless they were hiding. . .

Too late, They drew their weapons.

The empousai emerged from the rocks all around them — five of them forming a ring. A perfect trap.

Kelli limped forward on her mismatched legs. Her fiery hair burned across her shoulders like a miniature Phlegethon waterfall. Her tattered cheerleader outfit was splattered with rusty-brown stains, and Percy was pretty sure they weren’t ketchup. She fixed him with her glowing red eyes and bared her fangs.

“Percy Jackson,” she cooed. “How awesome! I don’t even have to return to the mortal world to destroy you!”

Percy recalled how dangerous Kelli had been the last time they’d fought in the Labyrinth. Despite those mismatched legs, she could move fast when she wanted to. She’d dodged his sword strikes and would have eaten his face if Annabeth hadn’t stabbed her from behind.

Now she had four friends with her.

“And your friend Annabeth is with you!” Kelli hissed with laughter. “Oh, yeah, I totally remember her. And whats this? Two new friends? I think my comrade will love the extra treat!”

Kelli touched her own sternum, where the tip of the knife had exited when Annabeth stabbed her in the back. “What’s the matter, daughter of Athena? Don’t have your weapon? Bummer. I’d use it to kill you.”

Percy tried to think. He and Annabeth stood shoulder to shoulder as they had many times before, ready to fight, and this time they had James and Brielle too. Though the two did not have a lot of experience in fighting. But none of them was in good shape for battle. Annabeth was empty-handed. They were hopelessly outnumbered. There was nowhere to run. No help coming.

Briefly Percy considered calling for Mrs. O’Leary, his hellhound friend who could shadowtravel. Even if she heard him, could she make it into Tartarus? This was where monsters went when they died. Calling her here might kill her, or turn her back to her natural state as a fierce monster.